| Arthur Lawley, The 6th Baron Wenlock GCIE, KCMG | |
|---|---|
| Governor of Madras | |
| In office 28 March 1906 – 3 November 1911 |
|
| Governor General | Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto |
| Preceded by | Sir Gabriel Stokes (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael |
| Lieutenant-Governor of the Transvaal Republic | |
| In office 29 September 1902 – 4 December 1905 |
|
| Preceded by | Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner |
| Succeeded by | William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne |
| 13th Governor of Western Australia | |
| In office 1 May 1901 – 14 August 1902 |
|
| Premier | George Throssell George Leake Alf Morgans Walter James |
| Preceded by | Gerard Smith |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Bedford |
| Administrator of Matabeleland | |
| In office 5 December 1898 – March 1901 |
|
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | None |
| Administrator of Matabeleland (acting) | |
| In office 1896 – 4 December 1898 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 November 1860 London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 14 June 1932 (aged 71) Freiberg, Germany |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Annie Allen Cunard; 3 children) |
Arthur Lawley, 6th Baron Wenlock, GCIE, KCMG (12 November 1860 – 14 June 1932) was a British politician, soldier and administrator who served as the administrator of Matabeleland, Governor of Western Australia, Lieutenant-Governor of Transvaal and Governor of Madras.
Lawley was born in 1860 to 2nd Baron Wenlock and his wife, Lady Elizabeth (née Grosvenor). He was their seventh child to the couple and the fourth and youngest son. He attended Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge.[1] However, Lawley did not complete his studies at Cambridge. Instead, he joined the 10th Hussars and became a soldier in the British army. He rose to become a Captain in 1882 and fought in the Mahdist War and saw action at Suakin (1884).
Upon retiring from the army, he entered politics, serving as the private secretary to the Duke of Westminster from 1892 to 1896, after which he was appointed the acting administrator of Matabeleland, Governor of Western Australia, Lieutenant-Governor of Transvaal and Governor of Madras.
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When Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey was sent to Salisbury to replace Sir Leander Starr Jameson, Lawley was appointed the Acting administrator representing the British South Africa Company. Later, he also served as Deputy administrator of Matabeleland from 1896 to 1898.[2] In 1898, Lawley led a mission to the court of Lewanika, the king of Barotseland.
Lawley later wrote a detailed account of his journey to Barotseland and his experiences. an agreement was signed at Bulawayo between Lewanika and Robert Coryndon, the resident in Barotseland, in the presence of Lawley.[3]
The Second Matabele War took place during Lawley's tenure leading to a decisive victory for British settlers. On 5 December 1898, Lawley succeeded Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey as the administrator of Matabeleland and served from 5 December 1898 to March 1901.[2] As Deputy-administrator, Lawley participated in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria.
Lawley was appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1901 and arrived in Albany aboard the ship Ophir along with the Duke and Duchchess of York. Lawley served as Governor of Western Australia from 1 May 1901 to 14 August 1902.[4] As governor, he represented Western Australia at the opening of the federal parliament.
Lawley was governor for a short tenure but his tenure witnessed the rise and fall of seven governments. As soon as he took charge, Lawley received the resignation of Premier George Throssell on 21 May 1901. This was followed by the rise and fall of five successive governments. In December 1901, Lawley toured the south-western parts of the province along with Lord Hopetown. His tenure also witnessed instability in the Perth City Council. Lady Lawley devoted herself to numerous chariotious activities. The suburb of Mount Lawley in Perth is named after Lawley.
On the recommendation of Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner, Lawley was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Transvaal in April 1902.[5] Lawley arrived in Pretoria at the end of August and served as lieutenant governor of Transvaal from September 1902 to 1905 . Lawley was given the task of demarcating and allotting separate reserves in Transvaal for indigenous Africans.[6] In the end, Lawley set aside only about 3% of Transvaal for Africans.[6]
In 1903, due to petitions from Boer farmers, the government of Transvaal permitted them access to Kgatla reserves in the Bechuanaland protectorate to recover their stolen cattle on the condition they reciprocate by offering the Kgatla access to their own settlements.[7] The Kgatla responded by requesting Lawley to merge Kgatla reserves in Bechuanaland and the Crown colony into a single settlement.[7]
The Kgatla request was framed to enable their chief Lentshwe gain complete sovereignty over all the lands occupied by the Kgatla from the Boers during the Second Boer War.[8] The request was turned down by Lawley, who, however, permitted Lentshwe to appoint his brother Ramono as his deputy over Saulspoort.[8]
During his tenure, Lawley strongly vouched for the continued import of cheap Chinese labour into Transvaal to work in the diamond mines.[9] He pointed out the extent of success that had attended their work.[9] The town of Lawley in Transvaal is named after Arthur Lawley.[10]
While serving as Lieutenant-Governor of Transvaal, Lawley was appointed Governor of Madras on 28 December 1905 at a monthly pay of Rs. 10,000. He took office on 28 March 1906 succeeding The Lord Ampthill. Lawley's eldest brother Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock had also served as the Governor of Madras from 1891 to 1896. The Madras Legislative Council was completely reformed according to the Indian Councils Act 1909 and enlarged during his time.
Lawley undertook a number of tours to acquaint himself of the administrative machinery prevailing in the Presidency. During his tenure, the Madras Estates Land Bill was passed. In 1906, the Arbuthnot Bank of Madras crashed precipitating one of the worst financial disasters of the 20th century.[11] Lawley, who was himself one of the stockholders, tried to raise public funds to rescue investors.[11] The disillusioned investors eventually responded by founding the Indian Bank.[11] Except for frequent tours and a few reforms, Lawley's tenure was largely uneventful.
The newly constructed building housing the Government Museum, Chennai was opened by Lawley on 5 September 1906. Lawley also inaugurated the Victoria Memorial Hall in Madras on 28 March 1909 in memory of Queen Victoria.[12] In 1910, Lawley unveiled a portrait of Queen Victoria inside the Victoria Public Hall after the building was acquired by the Suguna Vilas Sabha. On 27 October 1911, Lawley presided over the Annual Day function of the Madras Sanskrit College and presented diplomas to meritorious students.[13]
Lawley inaugurated the Giffard School block of the Women and Children's Hospital in Egmore in October 1911.[14] The next year, a nurses' quarters was established opposite to the hospital and named after Lawley.[14]
A road in Coimbatore is named after him.[15]
In his later life, Lawley served as the director of numerous London-based companies. During the First World War, he served as the President of the British Red Cross Society in Boulogne, France. In 1927 Lawley visited the Fairbridge Farm School at Pinjarra, Western Australia, and he remained president of the Child Emigration Society until his death.
Arthur Lawley succeeded his brother, Reverend Algernon George Lawley, who died without an heir, as the 6th Baron Wenlock in June 1931.
Arthur Lawley, 6th Baron Wenlock, died on 14 June 1932 at Freiberg, Saxony, Germany, and was interred at Escrick, Yorkshire. As he had no surviving male children, he was the last Baron Wenlock.
On 15 October 1885, he married Annie Allen Cunard, a daughter of Sir Edward Cunard, 2nd Baronet; they had three children:
Annie, Lady Wenlock was named Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1917.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by (none) |
Administrator of Matabeleland 1898–1901 |
Succeeded by (none) |
| Preceded by Sir Gerard Smith |
Governor of Western Australia 1901–1902 |
Succeeded by Sir Frederick Bedford |
| Preceded by The Viscount Milner |
Lieutenant Governor of Transvaal Republic 1902–1905 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Selborne |
| Preceded by Sir Gabriel Stokes (acting) |
Governor of Madras 1906–1911 |
Succeeded by The Lord Carmichael |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Algernon Lawley |
Baron Wenlock 1931–1932 |
Succeeded by Title extinct |
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